New Gallup data show confidence in Congress at all time low

This was on the front page of www.drudgereport.com. While the military garnered much more confidence from the American public than the Congress, voters did not support many veterans at the polls last November. Out of dozens of Democratic candidates aka "Band of Brothers," only one Iraq vet (Patrick Murphy) was elected. Even the admirable Tammy Duckworth could not defeat a career GOP politician in Illinois. Only one GOP congressional candidate reached the general election (Van Taylor got smoked by Chet Edwards in Texas/Crawford Ranch district). Go figure...

Just 14% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in Congress.

This 14% Congressional confidence rating is the all-time low for this measure, which Gallup initiated in 1973.  The previous low point for Congress was 18% at several points in the period of time 1991 to 1994.

Congress is now nestled at the bottom of the list of Gallup's annual Confidence in Institutions rankings, along with HMOs.  Just 15% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in HMOs.  (By way of contrast, 69% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the military, which tops the list.  More on this at galluppoll.com on Thursday).

It’s worth remembering that Congress is basically nothing more than a mechanism for the representation of the people’s wishes. We all can’t go to Washington.  So we elect men and women and send them off in our stead.  It’s not an optimal situation, it seems to me, when such a low percentage of average Americans have confidence in this system.

Generally speaking, Americans have been skeptical about Congress for decades now.  But the current 14% confidence rating for Congress is down from 19% last year and is the lowest in Gallup’s history, surpassing the 18% confidence in Congress measured in 1991, 1993 and 1994.

Americans' are generally in a sour mood, as discussed here.  The particularly low rating for Congress this year thus represents a continuation of the existing low esteem in which Congress is held, coupled with a strongly negative mindset on the part of the American public.

Comments

[Richard Rios]

All the rhetoric from the Democrats how they are doing so well and will crush the Republican Party next election is so self serving. If they are the majority and approval ratings are the lowed since the polls were started in 1973. Now wasn’t that Vietnam, Watergate, and general division? And they want to flaunt they are the Majority? Seems to me the Republican Party could utilize the sentiment to their advantage in many races. Couple that with Republicans are generally more associated with Military ( and that group god a 69% confidence).

Some see the glass half empty, I see opportunity. I see strategic inroads all over the place.

Richard Rios

[Bladerunner]

So did Custer. With about as much chance of success.

But don't fret.....the Dmes will manage to botch things, just as the Bush-GOP Congress did. But I suspect you're a couple of election cycles away(which might be actually work to the CA GOP's advantage if the turn is in 2010.

[Nesta]

Very witty Bladerunner.

I do agree that '10 will be a better year for us than '08.

[Appoint Pedroza]

Maybe the Dems could appoint Art Pedroza to some commissions; that would surely turn things around for them!!!

[The Mechanical Eye]

Gee, I wonder how the President is doing in similar polling. Surely he's rolling over his competition and paving the way for a permanent GOP majority. Everything will be fine in 2008, and those awful, awful Libs will be crushed.

Right?

DU